


Live a Latte

by ThatWeirdSkittle



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Reformed Loki, and caffeinated too, so sweet you'll get a cavity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 19:13:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatWeirdSkittle/pseuds/ThatWeirdSkittle
Summary: Based on "Imagine Loki immediately liking you because you're the only human he's met that's not afraid of him after the New York incident." from imaginestuffandthangs on tumblr.
Relationships: Loki/Reader
Comments: 10
Kudos: 174





	Live a Latte

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my request blog on tumblr, fanatictypist. Reposted here to consolidate.
> 
> The coffee in this fic is based on real coffee.   
> Mocha: The Ugly Mug in Poughkeepsie NY  
> Lucky Charms Latte: Rumours in Danbury CT
> 
> (I don't live in either of these places)

Loki loathed existing in New York City. _Fear, fear, and fear disguised as anger._ He had known that humans were weak, but he truly hadn’t expect them to be this… boring. Even an act as simple as going to the grocery store required a level of surveillance that he had grown wary of immediately.

“You need to get out, Reindeer Games.” Loki grimaced as Tony Stark’s voice filled the room. Stark Tower, what was supposed to be his home, was somehow worse than anywhere else, with Tony’s JARVIS having access to the entire tower.

“Excuse me?” Loki snapped, not bothering to disguise his annoyance at the intrusion.

“Go out, meet a girl. At least get a coffee or something. _Live a little._ ” Tony said through the intercom. Loki grit his teeth, taking slow deep breaths as he counted to ten.

“If I go… get a coffee, will you leave me alone?” He asked. His eyes were squeezed shut. He was imagining strolling up to Tony’s lab and punching him directly in the face. It was quite calming.

“Sure thing, Antlers.”

It was settled then. Anything for a shred of privacy. It might have wounded Loki’s pride if he’d had pride left to wound. So long as he was paying his debts, both to Asgard and to the city of New York, he would remain in Stark’s tower. The level of freedom that he was allowed was more than he would ever expect in Odin’s care, and so he endured.

Leaving Stark tower reminded Loki of why he had holed himself in his quarters in the first place. The city stank of fear and rebuilding. People avoided him on the sidewalk. A few people looked as if they may be so foolish as to strike a blow, but none were brave enough. It might have been better to use a glamour but on this, he refused to budge. If they wished for him to atone for his crimes, they would get him in all of his glory.

The coffee shop that actually made passable coffee was four blocks away, and almost always busy. When he got there, however, it was deserted save for the barista, leaning boredly over the countertop. Loki checked his watch, his eyebrows raising when he realized it was thirty minutes until close.

You perked up when he approached the counter, happy for anything to do. Your shift technically ended an hour after close, and if you were caught doing your closing duties early, you could get fired.

“Hi, what can I get you?” You asked, your eyes doing a quick sweep of the customer. _Ah._

Loki saw it in your face, the recognition. He waited for what came next: The revulsion, the hatred, the _fear_. Instead, you kept smiling, waiting for his order.

He was at a loss. He had been expecting you to shy away or refuse to serve him. This was different. This was _new._ He hadn’t had to navigate a space where the person serving him wasn’t on the verge of kicking him out.

“I… am actually not sure.” He realized out loud, “Do you recommend anything?”

Your grinned broadened, if that were possible, and Loki found himself studying you. Who _were_ you? You bore no direct resemblance to any of the SHIELD agents he had seen, so you weren’t desensitized to his presence that way. He didn’t recognize your face from anything. Why were you not afraid.

“Okay, there’s two things I’ve been _dying_ to try. If you try ‘em both and let me know which is better, they’ll be on the house.” You offered gleefully. There was so much unfiltered joy in your eyes that Loki felt like he might choke on it. Rather than answer aloud, he merely gave a stony nod and you squealed in excitement.

“Sit right there. I’ll be over in a few.”

He sat at the table you specified and watched from a distance as you put together the drinks. You were completely alone in a coffee shop with Loki, son of Laufey, scourge of New York City, and you had squealed with joy. It was equal parts refreshing and confusing. He remembered what Tony told him to do before he left: _live a little._ He decided not to fret. Loki knew how to talk to a woman. If you weren’t afraid of him, perhaps that was a good thing.

When you joined Loki at the table you had indicated, he was perusing the little lending library set up just beside it. He frowned at yet another harlequin paperback novel description and returned the book to the shelf, wiping his hands on his pants as if he could wipe the romance residue off of them.

“I can’t believe your people read that drivel.” He grumbled, returning to his seat. You laughed, tossing your hair back.

“Most of us don’t. It’s mostly older women that I see with them, honestly. Everyone else knows how to use the internet for what they need.” You said with a shrug. Loki decided not to unpack that statement, feeling a sudden compelling need to wash his hands. You laughed at the way his face twisted in disgust, pushing the two drinks towards him.

“Here’s a distraction. _This_ ,” You indicated a broad round coffee cup with a layer of foam so thick that Loki suspected there might not be coffee underneath at all, “Is the lucky charms latte and _that,”_ You indicated a taller, thinner mug with a dusting of red powder on top, “Is The Mexi-Mocha. Let me know what you think.”

Up close, Loki realized that you were aesthetically pleasing. He normally did not get the chance to look closely at mortal women other than the black widow, and he took the chance now. Looking at the way you grinned for him, he almost understood his brother’s missteps with his mortal. Almost.

Loki picked the one with the thick foam up, taking a careful sip. His eyes widened as the sugar hit his tongue, almost overwhelming in its concentrated intensity. The wash of bitter coffee came soon after, still sweet, but not as intense.

“What is in that?” Loki asked, his tongue flicking out to clear the foam from his lip. You found your eyes following the movement of his tongue before darting back up to his eyes. He was smiling, and you knew that you had been caught.

“Have you never had lucky charms? There’s marshmallows in the milk foam.” You studied Loki’s face for a moment, your jaw falling slack, “You’ve never had lucky charms! I guess they don’t really have breakfast cereal, wherever you came from.” You gestured vaguely and Loki shook his head in disbelief. The entire realm of Asgard, dismissed in a handwave. _Amazing._ You were amazing, in your own flippant way.

“Fine,” You said, sighing, “See if the other is more your speed.” You nudged the drink towards him and he eyed it suspiciously, glancing between the mug and your face. He worried that he might be faced with another onslaught of sugar, but when you looked at him like that he found that he was no longer coherent enough to articulate a _no._

He lifted the drink, wincing as he brought it to his mouth to take a sip and _oh._ It was delectable. Dark chocolate, bitter coffee, a hint of sugar, the lightest dusting of cinnamon, and something that had a _bite._ He hummed quietly in pleasure before taking another sip.

“I should’ve known you wouldn’t like the sweet stuff. Want a to go cup? I’ve got to clean the place up, but I’m fine if you want to sit and sip.” Your voice was hesitant. At first, Loki thought that you were hinting that he should leave, but he realized… You wanted him to stay. You were full of surprises.

“I’ll stay, if it’s no added burden.” He said, taking another sip of his coffee before he could take it back. Your smile softened and you stood, removing the sugary abomination from the table.

“You’re no burden, I like your company.” You said it as if it were obvious. You liked his company. Loki pondered that as you made your way back behind the counter, dumping the rest of the Lucky Charms Latte down the sink. He thought that he might like your company too.


End file.
